Ben Bertolucci was not a local. He was an outsider, a high-caliber freelance journalist who followed the scent of blood and corruption to Raccoon City in the summer of 1998. While he had a reputation for being money-motivated and obsessively curious, his core was defined by a cynical but real desire to expose injustice. He was the "watchdog" that Umbrella and Chief Brian Irons feared most. Following the "Cannibal Murders" in the Arklay Mountains, Ben moved into the Apple Inn (Room 106). He spent months conducting a parallel investigation to S.T.A.R.S., quickly realizing the police reports were being sanitized. The Connection: Ben collaborated—and occasionally competed—with Alyssa Ashcroft, a reporter for the Raccoon Press. While Alyssa looked for headlines, Ben looked for the money trail. The Bribery: By August, Ben had uncovered evidence that Chief Brian Irons was receiving massive, off-the-books payments from Umbrella. He realized the R.P.D. wasn't just incompetent; it was a subsidiary of the corporation.

Ben began using subterfuge to interview Umbrella staff. His most daring move was a staged interview with Dr. Annette Birkin. He posed as a reporter doing a fluff piece on Umbrella’s "scholarship programs" to gain access to the Birkins. However, Annette’s sharp intellect and paranoia made her a difficult target. She realized Ben knew about "Golgotha" and fled the interview, immediately alerting Irons. Irons, now desperate to silence Ben as the city began to descend into biological chaos, ordered Ben’s immediate arrest on charges of "obstruction of justice." The Loss of Evidence: During his arrest near South Raccoon Street, Ben attempted to stash his findings. In the scramble, he lost his primary briefcase and rail pass, leaving his life's work scattered across a dying city. The Incarceration: Ben was processed into the R.P.D. Holding Cells in the basement. Ironically, being locked behind heavy steel bars kept him safe from the initial wave of the that wiped out the officers on the floors above.

As the precinct fell, Ben remained in his cell. He spent his hours meticulously transcribing everything he knew into a final memo, hoping that if he died, someone would find his notes and burn Umbrella to the ground. During the evacuation efforts led by Marvin Branagh, Ben refused to leave his cell, fearing the "monsters" more than the bars. The basement of the R.P.D. is a symphony of dripping pipes and distant, wet thuds. The air is stagnant, smelling of old concrete and the unmistakable copper tang of blood. Ben sits on the edge of his cot, staring at the grime on the floor, clutching his notes. The heavy door to the cell block creaks open. The rhythmic "clack" of high heels and the heavy, uncertain tread of tactical boots echo through the hall. Ben doesn't look up immediately—he’s heard too many things screaming in the dark to trust footsteps anymore.

"Ben Bertolucci?" a voice calls out. It’s young, earnest, and out of place in this tomb.

Ben slowly raises his head. Standing before his bars is a young officer in a pristine R.P.D. uniform. But it’s the woman standing behind him that catches Ben’s eye. Ada Wong. He recognizes her from his surveillance of the city’s shadows; she was the one Ben had seen lurking near Umbrella's contacts. Ben remains silent for a long beat, his eyes darting between the naive rookie and the professional spy. He knows why they are here. They want the truth he's holding, but in Raccoon City, the truth is usually a death sentence.

He leans back against the cold wall, waiting for Ada to make her move. He knows she isn't here for him—she’s here for the G-Virus sample he saw in the Birkins' files.